NEW YORK — Hey, what do you know? It's raining! Haven't seen much of this lately, have we? The good news is that it appears there's a window of clearing from about 7-9 p.m., enough that they should at least start tonight's game between the Nationals and Mets. Whether there's enough time to finish it remains to be seen.

If they do play, the Nationals will be facing left-hander Jon Niese, not right-hander Dillon Gee as originally announced. The Mets also were rained out last night and decided to push everyone in their rotation back a day. So Niese goes tonight, with Gee in tomorrow's scheduled series finale.

Tom Gorzelanny starts for the Nationals, hoping to revert back to the top form he displayed in back-to-back starts earlier this month (as opposed to the less-than-spectacular form he showed last time out against the Marlins).

I love Rizzo's double talk. In one breath he says Harper won’t play in the bigs this year. Yet later he says that is development will dictate where he plays. Which is it? Of course the answer is the former, but only because he doesn’t want the arbitration / free agent clock to begin ticking. The soonest we see Harper in the bigs, is early May; no matter how he does. I’m not saying I disagree with this plan, just that what was said was contradictory.

Nice to see Morse back in the lineup. He was starting to heat up before he hurt his knee and has looked much better at the plate recently. I'd really like to see him put together a couple of nice games.

Sorry, Andrew. I let my pinch-lip editorial genes take over there. :-)Cool news about Storen's Fan Cave appearance (mlb.com piece currently linked to at left). Will look forward to seeing the TWIB segment this weekend, as they've been featuring it. Why no gals at the Fan Cave, though? Some of us have basement sports lairs, too, ya know.

Mark, when does Ankiel come off the DL and what moves will the team make. Bernie and Nix have got to be here to stay, right?In point-of-fact … probably not. Rizzo was also asked about this on the radio spot today and his answer was that they felt that Bernadina had the tools and makeup to be an everyday player. He would play every day.What that means is that if Riggleman decides to start Ankiel Bernadina returns to Syracuse where he would likely start in CF every day. Moving Bernadina to left and Ankiel to center would be a disaster as there is absolutely NO OFFENSE coming from the corner infield positions. And that too you can lay on Riggleman. Three guys who really can't hit at this point due to age, injury or lack of talent: Ankiel, Hairston, and LaRoche in the lineup is asking for the worst record in the majors.

If anyone wants an on the ground report, I'm standing outside Citi and they are not letting anyone in. No word on a gate opening from security. You'd think the mets would want my beer money after Madoff.

"absolutely NO OFFENSE coming from the corner infield positions. And that too you can lay on Riggleman."What, it's the manager's fault Zimmerman slid on his belly and pulled a muscle? Or that LaRoche is a chronically slow starter, epvery year?

I heard a great thing said by Jim Bowden (who I don't like at all) today on MLB Radio…In essence he said that if he had veteran, established players that were struggling early on, he'd tell them, "I feel sorry for the pitchers who are going to see you the next few weeks." the player would ask "Why?" and Bowden would say, "Because, statistically, you're gonna be making up for your slow start in the next few weeks, and you'll end up with stats on the back of your baseball card just like you do every year. Those pitchers you're facing in the next few weeks are going be sorry they're facing you."That's what I'm thinking/hoping with Werth and LaRoche.

Tim — I sure hope so. But that's what everyone kept thinking about Austin Kearns . . . until he ended the entire year batting .219 — he never did turn it around that year. I sure hope that's not the case with these guys this year . . .

If you send Bernadina to Syracuse, you no longer have a leadoff man. I'm not sure why they're they're trying so hard to work Ankiel back into the lineup. They were vocal about his lack of production before he hit the DL. They went out and Blanco to take Bernadina's spot in Syracuse. Ankiel is a 4th outfielder/defensive replacement if he's anything.

FP called that Hairston at-bat perfectly with the infield back. Personally I thought they were not going to give him anything hittable with the pitcher coming up.Another early missed opportunity after Morse got his double and Espi made an effective sac bunt.

NatinBeantown said… Why does Rigs plau small ball in the 2nd inning with the bottom of the order coming up? It doesn't make any sense! Quit taking the bats out of their hands! May 18, 2011 7:39 PM _________________________________This team at the bottom of the order is where you do play small ball. That is how they won a bunch of games at the beginning of the season. It was executed poorly and could have been 1-0.

I agree if it was Hairston or the pitcher's spot up. But with Morse already in scoring position, I think you have a better chance of scoring with Espi hitting away. i'm a Rigs defender but I do think he gives away too many outs, especially early in games.

Sec3 at 8:00PM, we have commentors that brought that up hours ago:__________________________________Mark'd said… Wash Times confirms thru Elias Sports Bureau that the Nats 1st 1/4 season was the toughest schedule so far in the MLB. I remember when predictions were made on this site at the end of March someone cleverly gave a prediction of wins broken down as MLB East victories and then the rest of the "field" which is how Wash Times broke it down.The NL East is looking like the best division in all of baseball as a factor of ERA and runs generated. May 18, 2011 2:54 PM

If you send Bernadina to Syracuse, you no longer have a leadoff man. I'm not sure why they're they're trying so hard to work Ankiel back into the lineup. They were vocal about his lack of production before he hit the DL. They went out and Blanco to take Bernadina's spot in Syracuse. Ankiel is a 4th outfielder/defensive replacement if he's anything.Yep… And PH and PR…. Plenty to keep Ankiel busy. We just don't need him starting, right now…

Bernie has really added a spark, not just in the outfield — "the catch", but on the bases, bunting for a hit – so many things that Ankiel just does not provide. But – the manager and the fo seem to really have man-crushes on Ankiel. I remember it being that way with Manny Acta and Austin Kearns. So frustrating.

Sitting in Fenway, a few rows behind home plate, freezing my behind off, and it's drizzling and so foggy you really can't see all the way across the field…and the place is PACKED. No wusses here, except for me. How fun it will be when Nats Stadium is packed with such devoted fans. Meanwhile, keep Bernie in Center…release Stairs. Go Nats!

JaneB, welcome to town. Sox fans are a site to behold (the real, longtime ones I mean. They loathe the bandwagoneers of the past 8 years as much as everyone else. It will be great to get Nats Park feeling the same way.

Bernadina was playing too shallow there … is it the rain or was he pulled in by Riggleman? He hasn't had a good game in the field and it looks like the rain has affected him. Gorzelanny put his heart out there … its really a shame …

So Bob and FP are saying how great it is for Riggles to let Gorzo qualify for the win and BAM, 3-0 lead.The Managers toughest job is knowing when to pull a pitcher. Gorzo is lucky he was facing an injury depleted Mets because this could have been 6-0 as easily as it could have stayed 1-0.

Ankiel is a 4th outfielder/defensive replacement if he's anything.Yep… And PH and PR…. Plenty to keep Ankiel busy. We just don't need him starting, right now…That's up to Riggleman. If Riggleman decides Ankiel starts then Bernadina goes back to the minors to play every day … because that's what Rizzo meant when he was asked this. He said Bernadina has the tools and make up to play every day and that's what they want him to do. The problem is both he and Ankiel can't play every day. And making Ankiel a corner outfielder would make what is already a pretty pathetic lineup even more so.

How low does a batting average have to be that good defense is not enough to make up for the lack of hitting ?Well first its beside the point. The guy is clearly and obviously HURTING! And this is hurting LaRoche's career and reputation. He has to have offense to be a viable starting first baseman in this league. Its not like they are heading for the playoffs or god forbid the world series? This team can barely get out alive playing the deteriorating Mets club!!! WTF!!! Is Morse that bad?To answer your question: Nick Johnson was clearly a great first baseman fielding-wise. Do you think that's why they kept inserting him in the lineup after every injury? Or was it his excellent hitting and high OBP? This is silly and its pretty disgusting.

CBinDC said… Question of the day How low does a batting average have to be that good defense is not enough to make up for the lack of hitting ?I really have no idea …so what say you all May 18, 2011 9:16 PM ___________________________Call up Earl Weaver. He did that for years with Mark Belanger. Not apples to apples but teams sometimes conceded offense for defense at SS 40 years ago and I think Cal Ripken changed that mindset.Adam Dunn was probably the opposite case and lucky they have a DH in the AL although he is hovering on the Mendoza himself right now.

Anonymous said… Otherwise, bring up Aubrey or Marerro if you don't want to use Morse … sheesh what a horrific manager Riggleman is. May 18, 2011 9:26 PM __________________________So you think it is solely Riggleman's decision to make roster moves? Better check the GM job description and hold your breath for an hour.

you may be wondering what a .179-hitting, slick-fielding first baseman is worth. Well, according to baseball-reference.com, LaRoche's WAR is 0.2. According to Fangraphs.com (which uses a different formula), it's -0.2. Either way, advanced stats say LaRoche's glove has pretty much made up for his bat. ________________________________Plus you keep waiting for LaRoche to break out. I liked the idea of pushing him back further in the order, like to the 9 hole when Jason Marquis is pitching!!!!

I am sorry if you really think a question that I was applying to not just LaRoche but anybody since the whole team is mired in this lack of hitting is disgusting. It is a legit question when does one thing no longer balance out to lack of the other. And if LaRoche was not valued for the glove he would be sitting some games right now.

So you think it is solely Riggleman's decision to make roster moves? Better check the GM job description and hold your breath for an hour.The 25-man roster HELL YES: and if you believe otherwise I have a bridge crossing the Potomac to sell you dude! Read it and weep: REPOST@anoymous8 or someone like him querying Boz on this bone of contetion:SEC 114, ROW EBos, we lost a game in Atlanta last week because we had 2 pitchers (Broderick and Hot-Rod) that the manager didn't trust – which means all of the other pitchers were burned out before the game even started. Is that Riggs' fault for not trusting/just using what he has? Or, is this one on Rizzo for not giving the manager useful players? Of course, since then they DFA'd Broderick and Hot Rod seems to have it sorted out. For now… Speaking of hard throwers, have you seen the numbers from Aroldis Chapman's last 2 outings? 7 walks, 1 HBP, and recorded 1 out.– May 16, 2011 10:57 AM PermalinkA.THOMAS BOSWELL :My impression is that Rig and his staff were high on Broderick and Gaudin. To me, Broderick was a waste of time. A nice story but never going to be more than a fifth starter and the Nats have 17 of them. Gaudin? Look at the back of his baseball card. No chance he gets better. Others (me among them) prefered Kimball and thought the staff was poorly built, which would be on Rig and his coaches. But we're past that now. This is the pitching roster I'd prefer.

Anon, the question was bringing up Aubrey or Marrero, that is the GM's call.Don't change it mid-stream to Boz as it isn't the same comparison, and Boz is real observant on the stale cheese in the bullpen. Anyone that follows the Nats saw that.

sheesh what a horrific manager Riggleman is.And yet…… His club has won almost half of them, facing the toughest schedule in he bigs, thus far. Atl, Phi, and Fla: #s 2,3 & 5, respectively, in staff ERA, and that's who we've been battling, for the most part. Horrific. (hope I'm not yelling too loud. It's frustrating to know so little about baseball….)

Mark'd: doesn't frustrate me… I'm a little disappointed, when he doesn't post. Although that usually means we've won a game, which for some reason, doesn't interest him as much, it seems.And, I learn SO much about baseball, from him ….

Unkyd, agreed and like they say, the Manager can't bat for these guys. How many opportunities did the Nats squander tonight?My only criticism is that Riggles went from the quick hook after his pitchers completed 5 (early in the season) to now letting the starters labor through trouble. For a team that can't generate offense, you have to use your bullpen to keep any advantage you have. A 1-0 deficit in the 7 looks a lot better than that 3-0 leaving the 6th. I know about hindsight.

She is, actually. Just as yours must be every time you rip someone anonymously on the Internet. If you think it's so beneath the sport for someone to yell a non-profane heckle to a .179 number 5 hitter, I suggest you take up watching polo, Anonymous.